Water withdrawals per capita in Germany
Germany: Water withdrawals per capita was 271.45 cubic meters per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
271.45 cubic meters per person
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
95th
of 180 countries
All-time high
638.14 cubic meters per person
in 1991
All-time low
271.45 cubic meters per person
in 2023
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Water withdrawals per capita in Germany, 1990–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in cubic meters per person.
Analysis
The most recent figure for water withdrawals per capita in Germany is 271.45 cubic meters per person, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.5% on the previous year and down 30.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water withdrawals per capita in Germany peaked at 638.14 cubic meters per person in 1991 and was at its lowest, 271.45 cubic meters per person, in 2023.
Germany ranks 95th of 180 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Water withdrawals per capita in Germany, year by year
| Year | cubic meters per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 577.8 cubic meters per person | — |
| 1991 | 638.14 cubic meters per person | +10.4% |
| 1992 | 617.14 cubic meters per person | -3.3% |
| 1993 | 607.95 cubic meters per person | -1.5% |
| 1994 | 601.66 cubic meters per person | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 595.35 cubic meters per person | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 580.64 cubic meters per person | -2.5% |
| 1997 | 575.11 cubic meters per person | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 558.54 cubic meters per person | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 555.48 cubic meters per person | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 549.28 cubic meters per person | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 545.86 cubic meters per person | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 532.76 cubic meters per person | -2.4% |
| 2003 | 516.99 cubic meters per person | -3.0% |
| 2004 | 506.3 cubic meters per person | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 490.19 cubic meters per person | -3.2% |
| 2006 | 486.06 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 477.59 cubic meters per person | -1.7% |
| 2008 | 480.45 cubic meters per person | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 485.77 cubic meters per person | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 488.09 cubic meters per person | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 446.85 cubic meters per person | -8.5% |
| 2012 | 408.21 cubic meters per person | -8.6% |
| 2013 | 389.46 cubic meters per person | -4.6% |
| 2014 | 382.97 cubic meters per person | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 360.26 cubic meters per person | -5.9% |
| 2016 | 366.97 cubic meters per person | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 334.9 cubic meters per person | -8.7% |
| 2018 | 325.69 cubic meters per person | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 311.86 cubic meters per person | -4.2% |
| 2020 | 312.62 cubic meters per person | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 286.44 cubic meters per person | -8.4% |
| 2022 | 272.94 cubic meters per person | -4.7% |
| 2023 | 271.45 cubic meters per person | -0.5% |
Germany compared with similar countries
- Germany's 271.45 cubic meters per person is below the median for high income countries, which is 376.78 cubic meters per person, 72% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Germany's 271.45 cubic meters per person is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 419.39 cubic meters per person, 65% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 590.78 cubic meters per person | 555.48 cubic meters per person | 638.14 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 507.12 cubic meters per person | 477.59 cubic meters per person | 549.28 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 381.52 cubic meters per person | 311.86 cubic meters per person | 488.09 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 285.86 cubic meters per person | 271.45 cubic meters per person | 312.62 cubic meters per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Germany
- 92 Bahrain 276.75 cubic meters per person compare
- 93 Morocco 276.59 cubic meters per person compare
- 94 Panama 271.69 cubic meters per person compare
- 96 Mauritania 268.83 cubic meters per person compare
- 97 Croatia 264.88 cubic meters per person compare
- 98 Moldova 260.18 cubic meters per person compare
More environment data for Germany
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -4.12 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -4.36 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.613 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.11 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -1.65 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -0.0079 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is water withdrawals per capita in Germany?
- Water withdrawals per capita in Germany was 271.45 cubic meters per person in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest water withdrawals per capita recorded in Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 638.14 cubic meters per person in 1991.
- What is the lowest water withdrawals per capita recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 271.45 cubic meters per person in 2023.
- How does Germany rank for water withdrawals per capita?
- Germany ranks 95th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water withdrawals per capita rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Germany data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Water withdrawals per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Water withdrawn each year for agriculture, industry, and municipal uses, divided by the population.